


Clock Strikes Twelve

by kesdax



Category: Person of Interest (TV)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-19
Updated: 2015-09-19
Packaged: 2018-04-21 12:44:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 465
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4829600
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kesdax/pseuds/kesdax
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The clock chimes midnight and Joss Carter is dead.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Clock Strikes Twelve

**Author's Note:**

> Post _The Crossing._

The clock chimes midnight and Joss Carter is dead.

*

He’s still covered in blood. His own and hers. It stains his favourite shirt until he can no longer remember it ever being white and from the driver’s seat, Finch’s worried eyes watch him carefully.

He wanted to stay. He wanted to die with her. But there was sirens and shouts and Finch’s panicked voice carrying him away.

_She’s dead, John. We have to go._

She’s dead, she’s dead, she’s dead.

*

A uniform tells him. Some kid fresh out of the academy looking terrified, like he’s about to throw up right there in the middle of the precinct when Fusco slams him up against the wall and demands to know what kind of game he is playing.

Except it’s not a game. He’s not lying.

Horror fills Lionel Fusco until he can’t breathe.

Joss Carter is dead and all he can think is that should have been him.

*

John Reese is dying.

She’s seen worse, _had_ worse. It’s not the bullet that’s killing him, Shaw thinks. Not the blood loss. He just doesn’t _want_ to live. He would rather die than survive.

Because if he survives and Carter is dead, then how does he gone on? How do any of them?

She treats the wound as best she can, mutters about a hospital and surgery, but at Finch’s startled look, thinks better of insisting. She just hopes Reese makes it through until morning.

She refuses to lose anyone else tonight.

*

She hasn’t seen anyone in days.

Her cage is cold and lonely, the books guarding her during the night. They used to be comfort, a means to pass the time. Now she’s sick of the sight of them.

Something has happened, but of course she is the last to know.

Root looks out of her little window, stares at the light across the street that hasn’t blinked at her in days.

Everyone is silent.

She wonders, _is it the end of the world?_

The light flashes at her, blinks a message. The answer to all of Root’s questions.

_And,_ she thinks, _it may as well be._

*

He refuses to leave John’s side.

The room is dark, John’s face is pale, near death and yet he refuses to leave, refuses to clean up the mess left behind in HR’s wake.

He feels Shaw frown at him, knows she’s about to, in her own unique Shaw way, scold him for not sleeping or eating or taking care of himself. She doesn’t need to say the words. The look is enough. He ignores her, suggests someone – _her -_ should pay their guest in library a visit.

She slips out without a word. Silent as death himself.

He thinks, _I’m so sorry, Joss_ and cries until there are no tears left.


End file.
